Slide button switch



Feb. 4, my W, www 2,415,293

SLIDE BUTTON SWITCH Filed Oct. l0a 2,944 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN TOR. l

Fb.- 4, E947, w, C, LHNTQN SLIDE BUTTON swI'rcH Filed Oct. l0, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENIUR. /w f y pdl-4, 19W w. c. LlN'ToN SLIDE BUTTON SWITCH Filed' Dat. 10, 19M

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 #www KM' Patented Feb. 4, 1947 SLIDE BU'r'roN SWITCH William C. Linton, Washington, D. C., assignor to Fuse Indicator Corporation, Rockville, Md.,

a corporation of Delaware Application October 10, 1944,'Seral No. 558,057

4 Claims. l

The present invention relates to wall switches for use in conventional electrical light, heat and power circuits which visibly designate the open condition of the electrical circuit, whereby one may more readily locate the switch when the latter is installed in dark or.secluded places, having among its principal objects the provision of a sliding push-button switch whereby the circuit closer thereof may be manually opened and closed and which button completely houses the means of connection between the switch box and the cover plate thereforr in order that the general exterior appearance of the switch will be greatly improved over the type of wall switches now in vogue.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the following accompanying description, which will set forth what I believe to be novel and my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the switch embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section throughA the switch.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section through the switch.

Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5 in the direction of the arrow points.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of a blank from which the supporting bar is formed.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged Vertical longitudinal section through a slightly modiiied form of the gures of the drawings.

removed.

Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse section of the Y switch with the cover plate removed.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the switch casing as shown in Fig. 8 with onesection thereof removed.

Fig. 11 is a similar View of the entire casing.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged end View of the removable section of the casing.

Fig. 13 is an end view of the same taken from the opposite end of that shown in Fig. 12.

Fig. -14 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 15 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line |5-I5 of Fig. 16 in the direction of the arrow points.

Fig. 16 is aplan view of the same.

Fig. 17 is a Vertical longitudinal section through the lens.

Fig. 18 is a bottom plan view of Athe sa-me.

Fig. 19 is a Vertical transverse section through have herein shown a supporting bar I which isl first stamped or. cut from a piece of sheet metal, as shown in Fig. 7 of theV drawings, and finally formed in the shape as shown in the remaining This supporting bar has an enlarged lmedial vportion 2 in which is formed a rectangular opening 3 and projecting within this opening 3 are a pair of ears 4, each having a threaded opening 5 formed therein. Also formed within the enlarged portion of the supporting bar are the threaded openings 6, and slots 'I are formed in the opposite ends of the bar through which may extend screws, bolts or other fastening means which are employed for attaching the supporting bar to the standard cutout box, wherebyl the switch may be suspended within the cutout boX and the Wires of the electrical circuit extending within the cutout box connected thereto. The opposite edges of the enlarged portion 2 of the supporting bar are bent downwardly to form the depending flanges 8.

The cover plate 9 has a rectangular opening formed therein which is of the same s ize as the opening 3 formed within the supporting vbar and these openings register with one another. The cover plate also. has formed therewith a pair of apertured projections I0 through which extend the attaching screws II and the lower ends of these screws are engaged within the threaded openings 5 of the supporting bar, whereby, the cover plate may be rigidly connected and supported thereupon.

The switch casing I2 has a pair of apertured projections I3 formed with an extending from '7, 1937. Each contact member I5 is provided with a' terminal screw I1 to which areconnected the conductors of the electrical circuit. whereby, when the circuit closer I5 is moved to the position as is illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the electrical circuit will be closed but when this button IE is moved in an anticlockwise direction, the electrical circuit in which it is included will be opened. Attached to and adapted to oscillate with the circuit closer I6 is a sectional bracket I8 having a A recess I9 formed therein. In order to transmit an oscillatory movement to the circuit closer I6, I provide a sliding block 29 having depending from its lower end a lug 2| which nts within the recess |9 of the bracket, whereby, when said block 20 is moved in opposite directions, the circuit closer I6 will be oscillated for opening and closing the electrical circuit to which it is connected.

The casing I2 is provided with a removable U- shaped section 22 having an apertured ear 23 formed with one end thereof which is adapted to register with one of the projections I3 formed with the casing, whereby, when a set screw |4 is inserted therethrough, the removable section 22 will be fastened to the main portion of the casing movement of the circuit closer I6. Projecting from the Aopposite faces of these parallel arms of the section 22 are the ilanges 21, which latter extend upwardly within the rectangular opening 3 formed within the supporting bar I and adapted to ride upon the upper faces of these flanges 21 are the flanges 28 formed with the sliding block 20. In assembling the'switch, the sliding block 20 may be rst inserted through the opening 3 formed within the supporting bar and the removable section 22 of the casing rstA inserted inl place, whereby, the iianges 25 of the supporting bar will be moved into position within the slots 24 of this removable section of the casing, whereby, the sliding block 2li will be locked within the supporting bar I and yet permitted to slide within the opening 3. The main portion of the casing I2 having the circuit closer I5 arranged therein is moved to aposition whereatit will. receive the removable section 22 of the casing and the two sections of the casing are then connected to the supporting bar I by means of the screws I4.

The sliding block 20 has formed in its upper face ya depression 29 in which is seated a lamp 30 of the gaseous type. One lead wire 3| of the f lamp extends downwardly through an opening 32 formed within the block 2|) and is connected to one of the terminals I1, whereas, the other lead wire 33 of the lamp is connected to a. leak resistor 34 seated within a recess formed within the upper face of the sliding block 29. A conductor 35 is connected at one end to the other terminal of the block 20 is divided into two sections by 70 means of a partition 38 but is entirely iilled with a leak resistor 34 consisting of a plastic composition as is illustrated in Fig. 4. By means of this partition 38, the lead wires 3| and 33 are sepaextinguished.

' of the leak resistor 34. From this arrangement, it will be obvious that the lamp 30 and leak resistor 34are connected in series with the terminals I1 but in parallel to the circuit closer I3,

5 whereby, when the circuit is opened, the current will be permitted to flow to the lamp 30 lfor causing the same to glow but when the circuit is closed by means of the circuit closer I6, the current will pass through the latter and cause the lamp to be The lamp is housed upon the block 20 by means of a lens 39, which latter is preferably molded from a ltransparent or translucent material, whereby, the rays of light from the lamp 30 may emit therefrom. The inner side walls of the lens 39 are provided with recesses 40 which receive the projections 4| formed with the block 20 and a detachable snap connection is effected between the lens 39 and the projections 4| whereby when pressure is manually applied to the lens 39 in the directions of the arrows, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the lens, together with the block 20, will be caused to slide in opposite vdirections for oscillating the circuit closer I6. The opposite ends of the block 20 are provided with the recesses 42 which receive the projecting ends of the lugs 4 formed, with the supporting bar I and the lugs I0 formed with the cover plate 9, in order that the sliding block may have the advantage of moving the entire length of the openings formed within the supporting bar and cover plate.

Whereas, in the foregoing I have illustrated a conventional mercury switch, in Figs. 8 to 11 of the drawings, I have illustrated a mechanical snap switch which may be substituted for the mercury switch. In mounting the snap switch within the casing, I have formed within the casingl a pair of standards 43 having recesses 44 formed in their upper ends for receiving and pro-A viding bearings for -the -opposite ends of a U-shaped circuit closer 46. When the Vcircuit closer 46 is moved to the position as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings, the electrical circuit to which it is included will be opened but when 45 oscillated in an opposite direction, the lower ends of this circuit closer 46 will engage thespring contacts 41 for closing the electrical circuit. These spring contacts 41 are connected to the conductor bars 48 and the latter have terminal 50 screws 49 with which may be connected theconl spring 50 is a recessed cap 5|, which is at all times in contact with the lug 2|, whereby, when the block 20 is moved, the coil spring will first be compressed for` exerting a pressure upon the circuit closer 46 and' when the lug 2| is to one side of a vertical center line in which the ends of the circuit closer are journalled, the latter will be caused to move in a direction opposite to that to which the lug 2| has been moved, in

I.' or that terminal opposite to which the lead 65 order that the circuit closer 46 may be ymoved into and out of engagement with the spring contacts 41. In order to limit the movement of the circuit closers I5 or 46, stops 52 are formed with and projecting inwardly within the casingl2. From the foregoing, it is obvious that any conventional type of circuit closer may be employed and mounted within the casing I2, and when the circuit closer is moved to its open position, the lamp 30 will glow but when the circuit closer is rated from one another but connected by means moved to its closed position, no current will be and that the lens forming part of this pushbutton at all times covers the screws24 so as to hide the same from view. When the cover plate is installed within a wall of a building, no fastening means are visible and the cover plate, as well as the lens 39 of the push-button, may be of any desired color or combination of colors or may be further ornamented to greatly increase the external appearance of the switch and its cover plate over those of the conventional v switches and cover plates therefor now in vogue.

Manifestly, the construction'herein shown is capable of considerable modification and such modications as come within the scope of my claims, I consider within the spirit of my invention.

Iclaim: Y

1. An electric wall switch comprising in combination a casing having a switch mechanism arranged therein, a removable cover plate extending over the switch mechanism within said casing. screws for connecting said cover plate to said casing and being removable from the outer face of said plate, a switch button longitudinally movable within and extending through said cover plate, covering means extending completely over said screws and means for connecting said covering means to said switch button whereby the same may be moved longitudinally over said cover plate without uncovering said screws.

2. An electric wall switch comprising in combination a casing having a switch mechanism arranged therein, a removable cover plate extending over the switch mechanism within said casing, screws for connecting said -cover plate to said casing and being removablel from the outer face of said plate, a switch button longitudinally removable within and extending through said cover plate, said screws each being positioned within said cover plate at points beyond that through which said switch button extends, a lens extending over and covering each screw, and means for detachably connecting said lens to said switch button whereby said cover plate may be 6 removed from the casing without removing said switch button.

3. An electric Wall switch comprising in combination `a casingv having a switch mechanism yarranged therein, a removable cover plate extending over said casing for housing the switch mechanism therein, screws for connecting said cover plate to said casing and being removable from the outer face of said cover plate, a switch button slidably supported within said casing and extending through said cover plate, said screws being arranged within said cover plate at points beyond that through which said push button extends, a lamp indicator arranged with said push button, a lens for completely covering said lamp indicator and screws and means for connecting said lens to said switch button whereby the same may be moved longitudinally over said cover plate without uncovering said screws. i,

4. An electric switch comprising in combination a supporting bar, a sectional casing consisting of a main section and a removable section, said main section having a recess therein for receiving said removable section, a switch mechanism arranged within said casing, flanges formed with and extending from said removable section for retaining said switch mechanism within said casing, an operating knob; means for slidably mounting and supporting said knob within said removable section of the casing, means for connecting the sections of said casing to said supporting bar whereby said knob will be retained in operative connection with said'switch mechanism, a cover plate removably connected to said supporting bar and said operating knob extending through and slidably mounted in said cover plate.

' WILLIAM C. LINTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date Number Name 1,998,995 Petersen Apr. 23, 1935 2,109,054 Sor'eng et al. Feb. 22, 1938 2,171,368 Krieger Aug. 29, 1939 2,172,731 Coles Sept. 1.2, 1939 2,134,695 Bigman Nov. 1, 1938 2.246.613 Bigxnan June 24, 1941 

